A week ago Cindy and I walked down to the center of town and used the Post Office as our destination when we asked for directions, but I didn't take a camera. Today I went on a little excursion with some people from the embassy, and this was our first stop. The post office is close to the Bay, on what I call the "flat part" of the city, which is a narrow strip of land along the coast. But the flat land does not extend very far inland.
The tents/kiosks are artisan booths. They weren't up last Saturday; I'm not sure of the reason for them being there today. Algiers has virtually nothing in the way of tourist traffic, so these are all things with sales to Algerians in mind, not to tourists. Looked like some nice stuff.
The view from the front steps of the post office. The post office was built in 1910, and designed by a French architectural firm. I think the buildings in the area date from the same general era.
The Mediterranean in the distance.
I don't think cameras were allowed inside, but there were no signs. After I took these few interior views of the post office someone came over and said something, which I understood to be "no pictures." The building was damaged in 2007 or 2008 by a bomb blast, and a couple of years ago there was a little explosion and fire, which was said to be caused by a gas line problem, but I gather there is some public dispute about the actual provenance of that blast. So I guess I can understand the photo ban. It is quite an impressive building, though.
The central ceiling.
1910 French versions of Moorish horseshoe arches.
The tents/kiosks are artisan booths. They weren't up last Saturday; I'm not sure of the reason for them being there today. Algiers has virtually nothing in the way of tourist traffic, so these are all things with sales to Algerians in mind, not to tourists. Looked like some nice stuff.
The view from the front steps of the post office. The post office was built in 1910, and designed by a French architectural firm. I think the buildings in the area date from the same general era.
The Mediterranean in the distance.
I don't think cameras were allowed inside, but there were no signs. After I took these few interior views of the post office someone came over and said something, which I understood to be "no pictures." The building was damaged in 2007 or 2008 by a bomb blast, and a couple of years ago there was a little explosion and fire, which was said to be caused by a gas line problem, but I gather there is some public dispute about the actual provenance of that blast. So I guess I can understand the photo ban. It is quite an impressive building, though.
The central ceiling.
1910 French versions of Moorish horseshoe arches.
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